Santa Clarita Ca Public Facilities

A "park and ride" lot has been cleared for public use starting today near the entrance of Ed Davis Park in Towsley Canyon by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. The lot will accommodate motorists using the Golden State Freeway. Supervisor Michael Antonovich is scheduled to participate in a grand opening ceremony at 10 a.m. today. The lot, which can hold more than 75 vehicles, is a former parking area for a horse stable, said Rorie Skei, spokeswoman for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

In response to widespread pledges of support from the community, the Santa Clarita City Council on Friday authorized a temporary shelter for the homeless on a city-owned site after attempts to find a permanent location failed. In a special session, the council allocated $25,000 to operate the shelter in five modular buildings to be set up in a parking lot at the city's sports complex at 26407 Golden Valley Road. The facility, which will provide beds for up to 30 men and 15 women, will open Jan.

Ten-year-old Josh Iniguez swallowed his fear, pulled the microphone down to his level at the City Hall lectern, and haltingly declared to the City Council that he and his friends needed a safer place to play. An impressed council allotted an additional $100,000 Tuesday night for a new park among the auto repair garages and vacant shops of east Newhall, giving the park a soccer field and basketball court.

The City Council debated Tuesday night whether to build a public skating park at the MetroLink station on Soledad Canyon Road to give roller-bladers and skateboarders an alternative to streets, parking lots and shopping malls. Central to the debate was whether the park should be free or include an admission charge. City Recreation Coordinator Johnathan Skinner was instructed to gather more information.

The city of Santa Clarita will hold a groundbreaking ceremony Saturday to kick off construction of the first public park in east Canyon Country. The city will spend $402,000 to develop a five-acre site off Begonias Lane, west of Shadow Pines Boulevard. The land was deeded to Santa Clarita by Los Angeles County when the city annexed the Pinetree/Timberlane area last year.

The City Council debated Tuesday night whether to build a public skating park at the MetroLink station on Soledad Canyon Road to give roller-bladers and skateboarders an alternative to streets, parking lots and shopping malls. Central to the debate was whether the park should be free or include an admission charge. City Recreation Coordinator Johnathan Skinner was instructed to gather more information.

The city's interest in luring the prestigious Southwest Museum away from Los Angeles has been dimmed, if not put out, by the relocation's $35-million price tag. In a letter to the city, the director of Los Angeles' oldest museum said that while the area has good freeway access and proximity to other communities that would support a museum, the city still has to demonstrate it has the population and financial base to build the museum and sustain it.

The Castaic Lake Water Agency and the city of Santa Clarita are close to a deal over 122 acres of land that civic leaders have long coveted as a site for a central park. Although the deal is not yet final, Santa Clarita officials are already gleefully salivating over the future of the property they believe the Castaic Lake Water Agency will lease to them for $100 a year. The initial lease would be for 15 years.

Federal officials have so far approved the city's requests for about half the estimated $12 million of federal disaster assistance needed to repair public facilities damaged by the Northridge earthquake. The $5 million that has been approved will cover the costs of 19 out of 95 rebuilding projects slated in Santa Clarita.

Gregory Espinosa and Adam Gardner have finally found a library that suits them. They are hunched over a brown tabletop scaled to their 6-year-old bodies, shouting and furiously wiggling joysticks so their Totally Awesome Duelin' Dudes will pummel one another. No one is shushed. No one hears "Careful!" as they pluck items off the shelves. No one is told to walk rather than run. This is a toy library. "I like it," said Gregory. "I like the games." Adam is more succinct. "Cool."

Ten-year-old Josh Iniguez swallowed his fear, pulled the microphone down to his level at the City Hall lectern, and haltingly declared to the City Council that he and his friends needed a safer place to play. An impressed council allotted an additional $100,000 Tuesday night for a new park among the auto repair garages and vacant shops of east Newhall, giving the park a soccer field and basketball court.

The Castaic Lake Water Agency and the city of Santa Clarita are close to a deal over 122 acres of land that civic leaders have long coveted as a site for a central park. Although the deal is not yet final, Santa Clarita officials are already gleefully salivating over the future of the property they believe the Castaic Lake Water Agency will lease to them for $100 a year. The initial lease would be for 15 years.

Gregory Espinosa and Adam Gardner have finally found a library that suits them. They are hunched over a brown tabletop scaled to their 6-year-old bodies, shouting and furiously wiggling joysticks so their Totally Awesome Duelin' Dudes will pummel one another. No one is shushed. No one hears "Careful!" as they pluck items off the shelves. No one is told to walk rather than run. This is a toy library. "I like it," said Gregory. "I like the games." Adam is more succinct. "Cool."

Federal officials have so far approved the city's requests for about half the estimated $12 million of federal disaster assistance needed to repair public facilities damaged by the Northridge earthquake. The $5 million that has been approved will cover the costs of 19 out of 95 rebuilding projects slated in Santa Clarita.

Train stations and busy public buildings may not seem likely canvasses for depicting scenes of nature, but for artist Viqui McCaslin they are perfect. The City Council recently selected McCaslin's work from among that of dozens of local artists to enhance the Santa Clarita Transit Center on Soledad Canyon Road. Her design calls for covering two concrete arches at the station with terra cotta slabs picturing frolicking antelope amid images of ancient Indian feathers.

A "park and ride" lot has been cleared for public use starting today near the entrance of Ed Davis Park in Towsley Canyon by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. The lot will accommodate motorists using the Golden State Freeway. Supervisor Michael Antonovich is scheduled to participate in a grand opening ceremony at 10 a.m. today. The lot, which can hold more than 75 vehicles, is a former parking area for a horse stable, said Rorie Skei, spokeswoman for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

Plans for a weekly farmers' market of fruits and vegetables at City Hall are rotting on the vine. Organizers who have been stymied for the past several months over a site for the proposed market learned Monday that their preferred location at the City Hall parking lot has been rejected. The Ventura County Certified Farmers' Market Assn. wanted to have the weekly outdoor market in Santa Clarita's City Hall parking lot.

Train stations and busy public buildings may not seem likely canvasses for depicting scenes of nature, but for artist Viqui McCaslin they are perfect. The City Council recently selected McCaslin's work from among that of dozens of local artists to enhance the Santa Clarita Transit Center on Soledad Canyon Road. Her design calls for covering two concrete arches at the station with terra cotta slabs picturing frolicking antelope amid images of ancient Indian feathers.

The city's interest in luring the prestigious Southwest Museum away from Los Angeles has been dimmed, if not put out, by the relocation's $35-million price tag. In a letter to the city, the director of Los Angeles' oldest museum said that while the area has good freeway access and proximity to other communities that would support a museum, the city still has to demonstrate it has the population and financial base to build the museum and sustain it.

Plans for a weekly farmers' market of fruits and vegetables at City Hall are rotting on the vine. Organizers who have been stymied for the past several months over a site for the proposed market learned Monday that their preferred location at the City Hall parking lot has been rejected. The Ventura County Certified Farmers' Market Assn. wanted to have the weekly outdoor market in Santa Clarita's City Hall parking lot.